More than 20 people were injured after a massive fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline at Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district early on Tuesday, triggering a large-scale emergency response and disrupting railway services in the area.
The blaze was reported at around 2.45 am from a naphtha pipeline connected to the Haldia Petrochemicals plant. Within minutes, the fire spread to Chiranjibpur in Ward 13 of Haldia Municipality, engulfing several nearby houses and sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.
According to officials, more than 20 people, including local residents and company personnel, sustained burn injuries in the incident. At least five of them remain in critical condition. "Over 20 people, mostly locals, were injured in the fire. Out of them, five are critical. Some are undergoing treatment here while some were referred to hospitals in Kolkata," a police officer said.
The injured were initially taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital before several were shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital. Around 10 others were later referred to SSKM Hospital, NRS Medical College and Hospital, and private healthcare facilities in Kolkata for specialised treatment.
Authorities deployed 12 fire tenders to tackle the blaze, with firefighting operations continuing for several hours. Police later confirmed that the fire had largely been brought under control. "The firefighters are using foam and fly ash, and hopefully it will be doused soon," a police officer said. The officer added that a number of houses had been completely destroyed in the blaze.
The intense fire also damaged overhead railway infrastructure near the site, forcing authorities to suspend train movement on the Haldia-Mecheda section as a precaution. The morning Haldia-Howrah local service was delayed, affecting commuters travelling towards Panskura and Howrah. Residents said the flames spread alarmingly close to the railway tracks, prompting railway officials to halt services until the area was declared safe.
Haldia Petrochemicals said preliminary findings suggest the incident may have occurred near an unauthorised naphtha theft point located close to the plant. "Preliminary information suggests that the incident may have occurred in the vicinity of an unauthorised naphtha theft point located in the plant vicinity," the company said in a statement. HPL stressed that the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation and cautioned against drawing conclusions before the inquiry is complete. "It would be premature to comment further or attribute responsibility until the investigation is complete."
The company added that it has repeatedly warned local communities against unauthorised access to petroleum products due to the significant safety risks associated with highly flammable hydrocarbons such as naphtha.
Police believe a leak in the naphtha pipeline may have triggered the blaze, although officials said the exact sequence of events will only be established after a detailed forensic investigation.
Naphtha is a highly volatile hydrocarbon produced during the refining of crude oil and is widely used in the production of fuels and petrochemicals. Owing to its extremely flammable nature, any leak can pose a serious risk of explosion and fire.
Haldia Petrochemicals, which operates a 700,000-tonne-per-year ethylene cracker facility in West Bengal, said it is fully cooperating with investigating agencies while ensuring that all those injured receive appropriate medical care.
